The process is pretty straightforward. Plenty of people want to make some change. And yet? We've only done it 27 times. So what does it take to amend the U.S. Constitution and why does it barely ever happen?
Robinson Woodward Burns, Associate Professor of Political Science at Howard University, is our guide.
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Aug 25
Article II of the Constitution
Article II, which lays out the powers, duties, and limits on presidential powers, is one of the most debated and reinterpreted parts of the Constitution. So what does it say? Today we are joined by Dr. Corey Brettschneider, a professor of political science at Brown, author of sev ... Show More
37m 59s
Oct 2018
The Eccentric Amendments with The Kominas
<p>The first eight amendments to the U.S. Constitution are literal, straightforward, and direct. But when we get to Amendments Nine, 10, and 11, things get hazy. These are some of the <em>least</em> literal amendments in the Constitution: they mean more than they say, and what th ... Show More
33m 44s
Nov 2018
The Power Player Amendments with Devendra Banhart
<p>The 25th and 26th Amendments — ratified in 1967 and 1971, respectively — are some of the newest additions to our founding document. However, they tackle some pretty basic questions: who gets to rule, and who gets to vote? If a president dies or is incapacitated, who takes over ... Show More
41m 41s
Nov 2018
The Democracy Amendments with Stef Chura
<p>This week, More Perfect<em> </em>takes a look at three amendments on the more obscure end of the spectrum. The 12th, 17th, and 20th Amendments made fine-tune adjustments to the way we pick our leaders. More Perfect<em> </em>is here to prove these three are more interesting tha ... Show More
31m 6s
Jun 2024
The Constitution is Amazing (and Ridiculous), Part One: A Troubled, Ambitious Origin Story
Something like 60% of Americans have never fully read the US Constitution. How did such a short document become one of the most important pieces of writing in human history -- and why are some parts of it arguably ridiculous? Ben, Noel and Max welcome returning guest AJ Jacobs, a ... Show More
33m 54s
Nov 2018
The Sleeper Amendments with Post Animal
<p>On first read the 16th and 22nd Amendments are at best sleepers and at worst, stinkers. In a list of Constitutional hits like the right to free speech, the right to bear arms, and birthright citizenship, the amendments covering taxes and term limits tend to fall by the wayside ... Show More
26m 28s
Oct 2020
The Electoral College
What is it, why do we have it, and why hasn't it changed? Born from a rushed, fraught, imperfect process, the origins and evolution of the Electoral College might surprise you and make you think differently about not only this upcoming presidential election, but our democracy as ... Show More
57m 7s